After day off, Tom Brady ready to go

Friday

Jan 17, 2014 at 6:00 AM

FOXBORO — Tom Brady is alive, well and feeling much better, thank you. The Patriots quarterback caused a bit of a commotion when he missed Wednesday's practice due to an illness, but he was back on the field Thursday and preparing for the AFC Championship Sunday in Denver.

By Jennifer Toland TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

FOXBORO — Tom Brady is alive, well and feeling much better, thank you.

The Patriots quarterback caused a bit of a commotion when he missed Wednesday's practice due to an illness, but he was back on the field Thursday and preparing for the AFC Championship Sunday in Denver.

Brady had a cold last week leading into the AFC divisional game against the Colts. He didn't go into detail about what was ailing him Wednesday, which marked the first time Brady was absent from practice this season.

"I've played a lot of football over the whole season and I got back out there and it felt good," Brady said. "It was good to be out there."

His teammates were happy to have him back, too.

"He's a fighter," running back Shane Vereen said. "I was never really worried about it."

Brady will play in the AFC Championship for the eighth time in his 14-year career, tying Charlie Water and Jack Reynolds for the most starts in a conference title game in NFL history. Brady is 5-2 in his other appearances and a win over Denver will give him the most conference championship victories by a starting quarterback. He is currently tied with John Elway, the former Broncos QB and now the team's executive vice president of football operations.

Sunday will also mark the 15th time (fourth in the postseason) Brady and Peyton Manning, the other greatest quarterback of this era, go at it.

It doesn't get better than that.

Brady and Manning already met once this season. The Broncos, behind their running game and three Patriots fumbles, opened a 24-0 halftime lead on Nov. 24 at Gillette Stadium. Brady took over in the second half, completing 81 percent of his attempts and throwing three touchdown passes. The Patriots won in overtime, 34-31.

Brady finished 34 of 50 for 344 yards in that game. Over the last three games, when the Patriots have turned to their run game, Brady has not attempted more than 26 passes or thrown for more than 200 yards in any of the games.

"I think it's just about winning," Brady said. "I'm glad we won, and that's what we need to do. If we need to throw for 500 yards, hopefully we can do that. If we need to throw for 50 yards, I'll throw for 50 yards as long as we win and whatever it takes for us to score more points than the other team, that's what we have to do."

The AFC Championship will be Brady's 26th postseason game. When he was a young player, Brady learned about winning football from teammates like Tedy Bruschi, Troy Brown, Willie McGinest and Drew Bledsoe. Brady won his first 10 playoff games.

"You watch and you see what it takes on a day-in, day-out basis to prepare yourself so you can be your best for the team. That translates in the postseason, that translates in the regular season, that translates in the offseason."

As his career has gone on, Brady has morphed into mentor — especially this season.

"I think I've always tried to do just whatever I thought we needed to do to try to fill the spots that the coaches can't always do," Brady said. "I've been around here long enough so I have an understanding of what our coaches ask. I've been coached really hard over the years and I try to convey a lot of those messages as well."

Brady worked extra hard with his three rookie receivers this year, as well as newcomer Danny Amendola, to get the passing game right.

Brady's patience was put to the test early and his frustrations were obvious, but his young targets think they are the better for it.

"I learned how to be a professional football player," rookie wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins said. "Playing in the NFL and understanding to do things the way he wants things to be done. Tom Brady is a tremendous football player. To learn from him is a tremendous opportunity."

With his health improving, Brady said fans shouldn't worry about him not being able to bring his A game to Denver, where he has a career record of 2-4.

"I hope they shouldn't be worried," he said, "but this team is going to test us. I'm going to go out there and do my best. All the preparation that we've had to this point is a part and going forward we have more days to really get after it. Hopefully I'll go out there and play my very best."

Contact Jennifer Toland at jtoland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTandG.